Track-link



Etminn. E. wIcKnnsi'mlu, F ere-axiom GAL/IFORNIA, ASSIGLN'OR To rnn HOLT or CALIFORNIA.

\ M.ELNUEAU]?URING' ,('JOM]EA1\l".Z, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, A. CORPORATION- TRACK-LI'NK.

1 Specificatiiin of LetterEatent. Patented} fix ng-13, 1920.,

' Applicationfi1edAugust 13. 191S. Serial 110.249.6 13.

To all whom it may (renown: 7/ I Be lmown that 1,.ELMER E..WIOK' ER- SHAM, ajcitiz'en of the United States,'residing at Stockton, in the county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Track Links,

of which the followin is a specification. This invention relates to a track linkior self-laying track vehicles.

is to provide atrack link which is decidedly simple in'its construction, will "require a' minlmum of machlne. operation to prepare and, when assembled, will it for assembly,

be self-lubricating. .The invention is illustrated by way, of example in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a view in section,-as seen on bled links of a track chain.

Fig 2 is a view in section, as seen on'the line 22 of Fig. 3, illustrating-the oil reslinks.

Fig. 3 is a 'view in plan, illustrating-the chain formation of the links. I v r Fig. 4 is a view. in transverse section; as seen on the lineHof Fig: 3.

Fig. 5 isa view in. horizontal section through one of the links, taken on the line 5-5 ofFig."4. 1 i

Fig. Gis a view in perspective, illustrating thelinkfblock with 'itsgrouser plate removed. f

Fig; 7 is a view in longitudinal'section, disclosing the oil grooves formed within the link pins;

In, thedr 'lar link block. This block forms the rail -.over which the'rollersof atractor' truck pass. Atone' end of the block a central apertured; bearing 11 is formed. At the opposite end a pair of @aced bearing lugs 12 and 13 are formed. The space between theselast named lugs is provided to receive the central bearing 11 of a'complementary.

link, thusforming-a continuous articulated track. When the links are assembled, the central bearings 11 and the opposite bearings 12 and 18 will be in longitudinal aline ment and the-bore through them will ,be suitable to receive a hinge pin 14. These pins extendthrough the three bearings and The principal .object of this inventionthe line 1 1 of Fig. 3, illustrating assem-- ervoirs and the hinge connections of the flow duct 22 and outflow ducts 23.

awings, 10 indicates a reotangualso through tubular'eittensions 15 formed and 13. These extensions are cylindrical in contour and are provided as roller pins for the sprocket teeth of the truck driving ends of thelinksand act in combination with -shoulders of recesses 16 to limit the swinging movement of the-links. The lugs also act to continuously seal the joint be- Gigi} material therefrom.

he main body' of each, link is hollowand thus forms an oil-reservoir 17 adapted to be filled through an opening 18 in the upper face of the link. This opening may be closed in any manner and is here shown as fitted with a screw plug 19. An oil duct 20 extends through the'vertical side wall of the reservoir and communicates with the bore of the bearings, In order to properly distribute the lubricating fluid to the side bearings 12 and 13, the pin 14 is formed with a longitudinal 'duct 21, a central in- The inflow-duct 22 is in continuous register with the duct 20. as the pin is held by a set-screw 24. The end ducts provide an outlet for the fluid passing through the longitudinal passageway 21 and thus distribute it to the relatively moving surfaces of the bearings 12, their tubular extensions 15, and the inolosed portions of the pins.

upon the-"opposite sides of 'the'bearings 12 tween the linkblocks and thus exclude for- Detachably secured to the under face of eachblock is'a grouser plate 25.. This plate may be 01' any sectional configuration'and is here Shown. as formed with overlapping ends concentric with the pivot pins. Thus the segmental lugs upon the bearings will close the upper portion of the, joint between the two links and theends of the grouser plates will close the lower portion. In order that the links. do notbind, the bearings are slightly-relieved, as indicated at 26, thus insuring that. the lubricated joints will freely operate without binding and without becoming clogged with dirt.-

Thus it will be seen that the link struc-- turehere shown, while simple in its construction, may be easily machined and as- I sembled and will provide a desirable rolling engagementwith the teeth of a sprocket as well as olferadeq-uate lubrication for the separate links. s'

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire-to secure by Letters 'Patcut is-- n 1. A chain track link comprising a body portion forminga central oil reservoir, a

pair ofspacedpin bearings at one end oi said bodyand extending outwardly to form'- sprocket-engaging cylinders, a central pin bearmg at the opposite end of said body, a

" pin fixed through said central bearing to extend into complementary end bearings, and means for distributing a lubricant from the reservoir through the pin to the end bearings. I

2. A chain track link comprising a body portionforming a central oil reservoir, a;

palr of spaced pin bearings at one end of said body and extending outwardly to form sprocket-engaging cylinders, a central pin bearing at the opposite end of said body, a pin fixed through said central bearing to extend into complementary end bearings,

means for distributing a lubricant from the reservoir through the pin to the end bearings, and overlapping. removable grouser plates secured .to the under face of said links.

'3. In a chain track, a series of connected links, each comprising a body portion within which is formed an oil reservoir, a pair of spaced. pin bearings atone end of said body portion, a central pin hearing at the opposite end of said body portion and communicating with the oilreservoir and a pin passing through said bearings for connect- 7 ing adjacent links together, said pin being provided with a boreand a plurality of witnesses. 1

- ELMER E. WIGKE-RSHAM.

4 Witnesses:

' JOHN H. Hnnnmc,

W. W. -HEA1EY.

Iducts whereby oil is carried to the outer 

